After the summer break, the Barcelona International Convention Center (CCIB), managed by Fira de Barcelona, will resume its activity next Monday with the biennial congress of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB), considered the most prominent scientific event in the field of evolutionary biology. From August 18 to 22, over 1,900 participants from 60 countries -including researchers, lecturers, and young scientists- will discuss the latest advances in life’s evolution, the origin of species, and the dynamics that explain today’s biodiversity.
Organised by the Spanish Society for Evolutionary Biology (SESBE), ESEB 2025 will feature around fifty scientific symposia and multiple parallel sessions. The congress will bring together global experts from disciplines such as genomics, paleontology, developmental biology, microbiology, and zoology, alongside leading academics, researchers, young scientists, and PhD students.
Evolutionary biology studies the changes that living beings have undergone, and continue to undergo, over time. Through the analysis of DNA, fossils, and biological adaptations, this discipline seeks to understand the origin of new species, the success of certain traits, and the impact of environmental changes on biodiversity. Moreover, it has practical applications in fields such as health, agriculture, conservation, and climate change mitigation.
The congress programme will cover topics of high scientific and social relevance: from how forests respond to drought and climate change, to the impact of invasive species on biodiversity, and the study of unusual organisms that could offer new insights into ageing and longevity. Sessions will also present new approaches to diseases such as cancer, innovative strategies for pest control, and research on the role of microbes that live within us in health and adaptation.
In addition, the use of synthetic biology to better understand the origin of life will be explored, as well as tools to predict how species might evolve in a changing environment. ESEB 2025 will also offer networking opportunities, scientific community meetings, and sessions designed to foster international collaboration across disciplines.
The European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB), founded in 1987, currently includes more than 1,500 members from Europe and other regions. Alongside its biennial congress, the society promotes education and outreach, supports research, and awards grants to young researchers. It also publishes two leading scientific journals: Journal of Evolutionary Biology and Evolution Letters.
A Summer of Science at the CCIB
With ESEB 2025, the CCIB reinforces its position as a leading venue for top-tier scientific and medical events. The congress is part of a busy second half of the year for the venue, which will host a total of 12 major international medical and scientific congresses in 2025. This highlights Barcelona’s standing as a hub for research and innovation, capable of attracting and connecting talent from around the world.
